A New Beginning at the Ending
by ButterflyBabe09
Summary: Harry Gordon Selfridge may have just lost everything, but has he lost one last chance at true love?


Author's notes-

This is my first published fanfic and my first one here. It is a chapter length short story, based on the ending scene of the BBC series "Mr. Selfridge." No copyright infringement is intended, I don't own anything in the show. This is virtually a complete looking back on the entire series, so any and all spoiler alerts are in effect. I hope you enjoy!

Harry Gordon Selfridge, once nicknamed the Earl of Oxford Street--so important in London and maybe at times a bit too self important, had done this to himself. It crushed him to even admit it. He had always had big plans and crazy dreams for his beautiful store, but as his gambling habit had grown worse and worse, the ammunition against him with the board of directors had piled up until they had gathered all that they'd needed to kick him out, so he had no say in Selfridges. He was no longer even welcome inside the store-, his grand first store building built on his ideas, hopes and dreams.

What he had said to Delphine Day when she had come onto him was honest and right from his heart. Everything he had built in his career had been for his beloved Rose. Now she as well as his mother, the two most important women to him in all the world had passed away.

So many mistakes, so many changes. His family were off on their own with busy lives. Agnes and Henri were back at Henri's lovely childhood home in France, her love helping him to heal from the scars of the war that had changed him so much. He sorely missed them.

More tragedy since then, seemingly one after the other in much too short a time. As he thought about the intense downward spiral of the past few months, he smiled to himself when he remembered lady Mae coming back into the store and to his life. He thought that maybe those were the only times in the last while where he had smiled.

She didn't always tell him what he wanted to hear but what he needed to hear. They were true and loyal friends from the start, twenty years ago but it seemed like an eternity. Through all the ups and downs- mistakes and marriages, tragedies and travels, she did whatever she could to help him no matter what. He, in turn had protected her from Lord Loxley and supported her in her choice to leave. Because of her he had tried to make amends with his son Gordon and it had gone much better than he could have ever hoped.

The night after the memorial service, saying goodbye to Roger, he had asked her to stay and they'd spent a wonderful night together. She probably knew him much too well to actually be in love with him, he mused. She has avoided him since then and newly threw all her amazing creative talents into their fashion house offerings, right before everything had collapsed around his ears.

The rain quickly began to pour down...a melancholy sound with a chill to accompany it. What was he doing...where was he going to go?

As if she had read his mind, Lady Mae's soft voice came through the rush of the wind.

Harry, where are you going to go now?

He looked over at her. "I thought you were going away alone, Mae. I thought you said that you couldn't do this, that you needed space for yourself."

"So much had happened, I didn't know what to think or feel. Us working together, my leaving the job and your flat after you kindly offered it when I came to you, completely broke after my second divorce.

After Jimmy and Victor died, I realized that as sad as I was, I hadn't been in love with either of them. You rallied everyone together when they needed it, like you always do. We needed you."

A hesitant pause. Her voice grew more gentle. "I need you...I love you, Harry."

He softly smiled. " I love you too, Mae." Harry slowly pulled Mae close to him, brushing her cheek with his hand and leaning in, kissing her sweetly.

May slowly pulled away, still touching his arm and smiled gently. "We could go to Paris. Who knows what's become of things in the fashion house when I wasn't around, she said in her usual nonchalant way, grinning. Who knows what your children are up to when they're there anyway, they take after you, you know."

Harry grinned back, "unfortunately they do," he replied. He opened his umbrella and sheltered her with it, as they peacefully down started down Oxford Street hand-in-hand, headed for an unknown but hopeful future.


End file.
